"deSchane dry, '49."deSchane dry, '49. Like a glass?" "If it doesn't sound to eager, please!" I found two wine glasses and poured them full, re-corking the bottle and putting it back into the cooler when I was done. I handed him a glass over the bar. He sniffed it, gave a puzzled look, then drank a small taste. "Doesn't taste like his usual." "Shouldn't. That's his ceremonial batch, not his commercial." I thought Aaden's eyes were going to bug out. "Ceremonial batch? You've got a bottle of the batch he does magic with?" "Well, the remainder of a year's batch. He prepares a new one every year, you know." "I know, I know, but still... How?" "I'm not permitted..." "Oh. Sorry." I shrugged. "It's okay." I walked around the bar and kissed him on the muzzle. "I figured you would ask. It's allright." "No wonder I felt so weird." "Makes you lightheaded?" "Just a little," he said, smiling. "Yeah, even the commercial stuff has that effect, but when you get a whiff of his consecrated wine, you know what power is." A thought hit me, one which I disliked intensely. Aaden noticed. "What's wrong?" "I just used something... artificial... to take control of a situation. I knew showing you this would. |